Surprise: "Pro-Life" Democrats Vote to Maintain Planned Parenthood Funding

Guy Benson | April 15, 2011 9:05 AM

Can we finally dispense with the myth of the pro-life Democrat? In the Senate last night, three "pro-life" Democrats voted in lockstep with America's Official Abortion Party

to maintain federal funding for Planned Parenthood in a stand alone vote. There was nothing to camouflage or obfuscate the issue. In case you've forgotten, Planned Parenthood is the nation's number one provider of abortions. Ninety-seven percent of pregnant women who enter its doors are no longer pregnant when they exit, and almost 40 percent of the group's revenues stem from abortions. It was founded in racism (remnants of which remain alive and well today), it is systemically corrupt, and its moral degradation reaches far beyond its abortion-related services.

Planned Parenthood receives nine figures in government funding each year, and when presented with the chance to shut off the spigot, "pro-lifers" Sen. Joe Manchin, Sen. Ben Nelson, and Sen. Bob Casey all declined to do so. If one cannot bring oneself to strip government funding from the nation's largest abortion mill, one should abandon the pretense of calling oneself "pro-life." It's an insult to the movement, and an affront to the intelligence of pro-life voters.

The Democratic Party is a pro-abortion party. Last night's vote confirms that sad truth.

UPDATE: Five Republican Senators joined every single Democrat in this disgraceful vote: The Maine Twins, Lisa Murkowski, Scott Brown, and Mark Kirk. Some liberals will inevitably protest that Planned Parenthood is already banned from using federal dollars to directly fund abortions. Look up this word. And don't even start with the phony 'mammograms' talking point.

UPDATE II: To be fair, by my count, there is at least one black swan in all of Congress on this front: Rep. Dan Lipinski of Chicago. He speaks softly and genuinely walks the pro-life walk. Credit where it's due.

UPDATE III: The Senate also defeated an Obamacare de-funding measure last night, strictly along party lines. Happy re-election campaign, vulnerable Democrats! (I must say that Sen. Joe Manchin is really distinguishing himself as a dishonest operator).